Eileen Morrow

Current Employer/Organisation Name

University of Oxford, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences

What have you been doing since leaving Exeter, and what are you doing now?

Initially I returned to clinical work as an orthotist at Oxford University Hospitals. I started to apply for doctoral fellowship grants, and was fortunate to we awarded a National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) Doctoral Clinical Academic Fellowship. I started a DPhil looking at what outcomes are most important for children after lower limb surgery (the CELLOS Study) in September 2023.

Why did you choose this career? And what do you enjoy most about your work?

Orthotics is an interesting but under-researched area of healthcare. While I enjoyed working clinically, I struggled with the limited evidence base to guide my practice.

Working as a researcher, I really enjoy being able to continue to learn in my career, develop new skills and knowledge with each project. I also enjoy that each day is different and having a high level of autonomy in my role.

What did you enjoy most about your programme and what was the biggest highlight?

I really enjoyed learning about different methods of research, even those I thought were outside my background like health economics and qualitative research. My highlight was learning about large studies in these areas which have been impactful on healthcare. 

What did you enjoy most about studying here?

I enjoyed working with such knowledgeable staff, it was clear to me that most of my lecturers were leaders in their fields and their enthusiasm and expertise made it easy to learn even complex subjects.

Why did you choose to study at Exeter?

The course seemed very well designed to meet what I wanted from my pre-doctoral clinical academic fellowship – an opportunity to learn more about a range of research methods and a chance to do a project. I had friends who had been to Exeter who also highly recommended it. 

What skills and experiences have been most useful for your career?

I have used a lot of the knowledge I built during this course for research projects I have undertaken since including: how to conduct a systematic review and how to write a systematic review protocol, an understanding of health economics and statistics, how to manage a clinical trial, how to conduct and analyse qualitative research.

What advice would you give to a current student who wishes to pursue your career?

You don’t need to be a genius or particularly self-assured to do a PhD, you just need to be curious, persistent and consistent. 

What are your plans for the future?

I would like to work in research methodology or clinical trials, I am hoping to find out more about job opportunities during my DPhil.